Sinners

The new film from director Ryan Coogler (Black Panther, Creed) has both critics and audiences alike buzzing. The common consensus is that it is “the best movie of 2025 so far”. It has an appeal not just for horror fans, but for casual moviegoers who love original films. So is it deserving of all the hype?

There certainly is a lot to like about Sinners, especially on an aesthetic level. The cast is excellent across the board, with Michael B. Jordan (who also starred in Black Panther and Creed) in an impressive dual role as twins Smoke and Stack. Hailee Steinfeld is also a standout, and the actress has continued to prove her talent ever since her fantastic debut in the Coen Brothers’ 2010 remake of True Grit. Newcomer Miles Caton does an incredible job as Sammie, the son of a preacher.

The film effectively hooks you, showing Sammie in Prohibition-era Mississippi as he enters a local church. He is clutching the handle of his guitar, which his father urges him to drop. Flash back one day, and we quickly discern that Smoke and Stack have traveled down from Chicago, where they allegedly were working for Al Capone. They both want to open a jukebox joint in town, and recruit Sammie, who is their cousin, to utilize his musical skills during the grand opening. Steinfeld plays Mary, Stack’s former flame who is intent on rekindling their relationship.

The twins set out to get money to finance this venture, as well as seek out other promising musicians. Plenty of folks turn up for the event that evening, and all seems to be going well. Sammie’s father warned him regarding his love for the Blues that if you dance with the devil, soon he’ll show up. He should have heeded this advice: during one of the film’s most memorable and riveting sequences, we learn that the boy’s music is so strong that it possesses a unique ability to connect with other souls. When three white strangers show up at the door requesting to play, the evening soon takes a bloody turn.

In fact, music plays a crucial part here. It serves as a character of its own. Composer Ludwig Göransson’s score is incredible. It is thematically fitting that the song “This Little Light of Mine” bookends the film. The aforementioned one-take setpiece is one of multiple scenes that had my jaw on the floor. Another show-stopper is likewise toe-tapping.

The cinematography is amazing, shot in New Orleans. Coogler emulates ambitious directors, citing Christopher Nolan as his influence to capture this one with IMAX cameras, including 70mm. While seeing Sinners in this format is not required, it is the way the film is intended to be viewed.

Another strength is how the writer/director tackles themes of racism, as he has done in previous work. However, unlike Black Panther, the messages on this front do not feel heavy-handed. Additionally, he addresses spiritual themes including sin and the possibility of redemption. For instance, several characters here are eventually confronted with their violent pasts. Lust is embodied in Steinfeld’s character. Greed is condemned as well. It is admittedly refreshing to see that these wicked deeds do not go unpunished. Also to his credit, Coogler does not provide easy answers, leaving us to draw our own conclusions.

Despite these merits, the film is not quite the masterpiece that you might be led to believe. When it comes to the vampire genre, all that is ever really done is dress it up in different skins. This one may take place in a different time period than most, but all the familiar hallmarks are still here. Holy water, wooden stakes, and bullets are used as weapons in the big showdown. Also, if you do see this, stay for the mid-credits scene, which serves as an extended epilogue that ties up loose ends and character arcs. There is also a brief post-credits scene, but it is not necessary to stick around for it. It is a strange decision on Coogler’s part not to close out the film with the mid-credits sequence, because many people will leave and miss important information that gives the experience proper closure. Finally, the film does feel disjointed at times, providing character motivations or development through brief flashbacks late in the story.

Sinners might not be my favorite film this year. It is an undeniably engaging and aesthetically pleasing experience. It is riveting and astounding in turns. It could have been great but instead is good. There is even a measure of redemption here. But it’s of the red, dead (and undead) kind.

Rated R

2 hours, 18 minutes